Crystallisation of Social Dimension of Recognition (in Axel Honneth’s Intentions)

Abstract

Lately the issue of social recognition has been discussed frequently – by philosophers, social scientists, politicians and scholars focusing on various fields, e.g. media theorists, sociologists, ethicists. The idea of recognition is in the centre of our attention mainly in the context of serious problems, which are related to migration of culturally diverse people; these aspects are, in fact, at the heart of the problem of recognition as such. The last decades have brought advanced communication technologies and new trends associated with communication between people from different cultures and minorities; however, the present situation forces us to face increasingly escalated conflicts, terrorist attacks and military operations. The questions of recognition, in their full complexity, have been a part of western thinking – even though not in its very centre – for several decades. The first part of the article mainly deals with the issue of social dimension of different forms of recognition proposed by Axel Honneth; emphasis is put on the third form of Honneth’s recognition tripartite – solidarity. The second part of the text addresses the problem of social injustice. Social movements presume that they are able to establish new normative goals. The struggle for moral recognition is, however, motivated by experience of expected abuse, and functions as the very source of moral development. Various types of injustice share their essential basis – misrecognition. Perfect society is therefore a society built upon subjects that offer mutual recognition; members of such a perfect society expect that the social establishment should offer them certain possibilities of self-realisation.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n1p538